1. Field of the Invention
The present application relates generally to an improved data processing system, and in particular to a method and apparatus for identifying contents of containers. Still more particularly, the present invention is directed to a computer implemented method, an apparatus, and computer program product for mapping a predictive content description to a container having unidentified contents.
2. Description of the Related Art
Reusable containers are frequently used to store meal left-over comestibles and other items that can no longer be stored in their original packaging. As used herein, a reusable container is any type of container for storing transient contents. An example of reusable containers includes Tupperware® containers. Many users store various transient contents in multiple identical or similar reusable containers in their refrigerators. Reusable containers can become lost or forgotten in overfilled refrigerators where the reusable container can become hidden or obscured by the other items in the refrigerator.
When a user wishes to locate a particular item stored in a reusable container, such as the leftover Thai Curry, the user must remember which reusable container the desired contents were stored in and where that container is located in the refrigerator. Otherwise, a user must manually search the refrigerator for the reusable container until the user finds the correct container. This search may involve requiring the user to manually open multiple reusable containers until the desired contents of the correct reusable container are located and identified. Moreover, once placed in a refrigerator, the contents of the reusable container may be forgotten until the contents have spoiled.
A universal product code can be utilized to identify items in an inventory. A Universal Product Code bar code is a series of bars and numbers that provide information regarding a product manufacturer and product identification. However, a universal product code only identifies fixed contents of the original product. The Universal Product Code cannot provide information regarding transient contents of a reusable container. Moreover, a Universal Product Code can only be used to locate an item that is being scanned by a Universal Product Code scanner. Once a product is no longer being scanned, a location of the product in inventory can not be determined.
Radio frequency identification (RFID) permit users to identify, track, and locate items in an inventory. Radio frequency identification utilizes a radio frequency identification reader to transmit an interrogate signal to radio frequency identification tags associated with one or more items. These items are referred to as self-describing items. The identification tags send a radio frequency response signal back to the reader that can be used to identify and locate the self-describing items. However, if an item is not a self-describing item associated with an identification tag, the system cannot recognize and locate the item.
Therefore, unless a container is a self-describing item with fixed contents, such as a gallon of milk with a bundled radio frequency identification passive tag or Universal Product Code, the contents of the container cannot be automatically identified. Radio frequency identification tags can be associated with reusable containers. However, the radio frequency identification system would only be able to identify and locate a given reusable container. The system would not be able to identify and locate the particular leftovers, such as the leftover Thai Curry, which is stored in one of the reusable containers. Thus, current systems enable a user to track the location of reusable containers, but these systems do not track the transient contents of these containers.